LifeVest, the first wearable defibrillator, protects people who have a high risk of sudden death, a common occurrence in patients with myocardial infarction and nonischemic cardiomyopathy.
Wearable defibrillators are intended for temporary use and may be rented on a monthly basis, worn outside the body rather than implanted in the chest. A noninvasive device worn under normal clothing and weighing about three pounds, LifeVest continuously monitors the patient’s heart to detect life-threatening abnormal hearth rhythms. If a life-threatening rhythm is detected and the patient is unconscious, the device delivers an electrical shock to restore normal rhythm, typically within one minute.